SUNDAY MERCURY WROTEChurch's Title Party Delayed By DeanAlvechurch manager Ian Long stressed his side's title fate remains firmly in their own hands, despite suffering defeat in their top of the table tussle with Coleshill Town. Victory would have given the Churchmen the championship, but two second half goals from Dean Rathbone gave the Colemen a deserved 2-0 win at Pack Meadow. It means Alvechurch need four points from three games to take the title. Long said: " Coleshill were the better side and deserved to win. But we are still in a strong position and I wouldn't swap it. Now we've got to bounce back." Alvechurch keeper Paul Evans was the busier, saving from Tom Weale and Mykel Beckley in the first half, before Coleshill took the lead on 67 minutes. Craig Milligan's header was pushed onto the bar but Rathbone bundled home. Five minutes later, with Church midfielder Ryan Winwood lying injured in the penalty area, Milligan and Beckley again combined and Rathbone netted.

REPORTColeshill were on a bad run of one point from the last three games and Alvechurch were preparing to celebrate winning the title at Pack Meadow. What could possibly go wrong? Well, Church were very ordinary and the Colemen found their FA Vase form and blew away the league leaders with an impressive team performance. The main stay of the Church campaign this year has been a solid defence, conceding just 29 goals in 38 games but Coleshill scored twice, both by Dean Rathbone, and the visiting goalkeeper was Man Of The Match as he almost single handidly kept the scoreline down.

Coleshill hadn't been at their best lately and had missed Rob Evans' influence at the back but the defender was available for this game and gave a man of the match performance.

Coleshill could and possibly should have took the lead in the first minute when a Craig Milligan cross found Mykel Beckley at the far post but the striker didn't commit fully to a header and the chance had gone. It was clear that Coleshill were well up for this game and were well on top. Visiting keeper Paul Evans made the first of many fine saves when he pushed Dean Rathbone's shot against the post and was up quickly enough to deny Tom Weale's rebound effort. Rathbone then shot wide from 20 yards before Alvechurch's first effort on goal from Beards was easily saved by home keeper Paul Hathaway. A Tom Weale free kick rounded the wall but scraped the outside of the post, Hathaway saved an effort from Edmunds and Mykel Beckley was denied by keeper Evans in an end to end game. Both sides had a shout for a penalty as Edmunds went to ground in the box and Town appealed for hand ball at the other end, both requests were denied. Reece Leek beat the keeper to a cross by Rob Evans but his header went just past the post.Half Time 0-0.

As often seems to happen, Coleshill took some time to settle in the second half and the visitors almost took advantage. Church substitute Babucar Sauane caused some problems with his pace but put his best chance, a header, straight into the arms of Paul Hathaway. Craig Milligan tried his luck from 35 yards but Evans saved. Gio Dainty combined with Reece Leek who in turn set up Mykel Beckley in the box but the striker decided to pass rather than shoot and the ball rolled along the six yard box begging to be put away but there was no-one there. Willetts headed wide from a corner, Hathaway had to dive on a dangerous cross from Ashmore and Edmunds shot wide in Church's best spell of the game but it was Coleshill who took the lead on 67 minutes. A Tom Weale throw in was headed on at the near post by Gio Dainty to Mykel Beckley at the far post. When the cross came back in Rob Evans headed for goal but Paul Evans pushed the effort against the bar and Dean Rathbone forced the rebound over the line from three yards. In a quick break Rathbone made ground before finding Mykel Beckley but keeper Evans again saved his right footed, goal bound effort. Coleshill increased their lead on 72 minutes when Josh Quaynor and Mykel Beckley combined to set up Dean Rathbone who picked his spot to score Town's 100th goal of the season, Rathbone's count being 23. In a goalmouth scramble several attempts were blocked before Hathaway finally dove on the ball through a sea of boots. Edmunds' free kick skimmed the bar and Rathbone headed a Foster free kick out for a corner. Another Town break from an opposition corner saw Beckley set up Rathbone and Evans made another great, goal saving block with his feet and then saved again from Beckley. Rob Evans thundered a shot into the chest of keeper Evans as Coleshill finished the game strongly and fully deserved the three points.

Town are now six points behind the leaders with just three games to go. Alvechurch should clinch the title on Monday when they are at home to Boldmere St Michaels, but Coleshill will keep plugging away to maintain the runners up spot and are back in action on Monday at home again to Rocester.

Church failed in their bid to wrestle the title from Coleshill's grasp on their own patch, but with three games to go it's still in their own hands.

The champagne is still on ice as Church gain failed to get a result on the plastic, and so must now look to the Easter Monday clash with bogey side Boldmere as the step up to the title.

For the second year running, Church failed to show of their best on the Pack Meadow plastic, and two goals from Rathbone half way through the second half broke the deadlock and Church’s resolve, when a share of the points would effectively have signalled success all but for a calamitous collapse in the final three league games of the season.

First chance for the home side on 11 saw a dipping shot from Rathbone come back off Evans, and Weale’s follow up effort was blocked for a corner.

Church’s first opening came on 17 when a good trap, turn and shot from Deards from 20 yards forced keeper Hathaway into a save low to his right.

A big penalty shout for Church on 24 when Edmunds went down in the area under challenge from a defender who had been tugging away at him for yards. The unimpressed referee eventually cautioned the Church man for dissent, but there seemed to be more of a case for a spot kick than the officials gave any credit for.

Half chances followed for Church with Deards having a shot at the far post blocked by Hathaway, and on the half hour a good break from Church culminated in Dubidat making space for himself in the D before firing over with a good sight of goal.

A miss for the home side on 53 was the closet yet as a scramble in the Church box resulted in the loose ball falling to Beckley unmarked at the far post, but the Coleshill front man screwed his effort across the face of the goal and wide of the far post.

And then a good chance for Church when Deards threaded the ball through for Edmunds, but his first time shot flew just wide of the foot of the post and the stalemate was preserved.

But not for long, as the deadlock was broken with an opening goal for the home side. A far post header, tipped onto the bar by Evans, and Rathbone followed up to stab the ball in from close range.

And it got worse three minutes later as the ball was pinged to then edge of the Church box, and as it was laid off to Rathbone he had the simple task of stroking the ball through a crowd of players and low into the corner of Evans’ goal, with Winwood lying prostrate in the Church box.

Church huffed and puffed to get back into the game, but there was little sign that they would do so, and it was down to Evans to deny Rathbone his hat-trick on 85 with a smart one handed save after a quick break from the home side as Church pressed for a foothold in the game.

But another case of “not meant to be”, and at least it gives Church a chance to land the title on home soil (grass) in just two days’ time.